Patents by Inventor Nicholas Luke Bennett

Nicholas Luke Bennett has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Method of gaming, a gaming system and a game controller
    Patent number: 8616966
    Abstract: A method of gaming with multiple players comprising: determining a set of eligible multi-player game players; assigning each eligible multi-player game player a number of multi-player game turns depending on a wager amount; and conducting the multi-player game turns with the eligible multi-player game players and determining multi-player game turn outcomes until a multi-player game end condition occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited
    Inventor: Nicholas Luke Bennett
  • Multiple-game gaming machine
    Patent number: 8608540
    Abstract: A gaming machine includes a gaming console. A display is mounted in the gaming console for displaying a wagering game and its result. A controller controls operation of the game, the controller displaying the result of a first game on the display, making payment of a prize if the first game has a prize winning result and, thereafter, irrespective of the result of the first game, varying a result displayed on the display without requiring any additional wager by a player whether before or after completion of the first game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Ltd.
    Inventor: Nicholas Luke Bennett
  • Gaming machine with a dynamic bonus modifier
    Patent number: 8602878
    Abstract: There is disclosed a game feature forming part of a gaming machine apparatus (10). The game feature (42) is configured to award a bonus outcome that is determined on the basis of a dynamic bonus modifier (44). The game feature (42) additionally includes a motion indicator (65) associated with the dynamic bonus modifier (44), and during play a value of said dynamic award modifier is adjusted in relation to at least one parameter of a movement of the motion indicator (65). The bonus modifier (44) may be adjusted in concert with, or in response to, the parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty, Ltd
    Inventor: Nicholas Luke Bennett
  • Gaming machine with buy feature games
    Patent number: 8562408
    Abstract: A gaming machine including a display, a game controller, and a selector. A player operates the selector to enable the player to place one of a plurality of possible wagers on a play of the game comprising at least a first wager consisting of a base wager, and second and third wagers each consisting of a base wager portion and an additional wager portion. There is no guarantee that the at least one added feature will eventuate in a specific play of the game as a result of the player having staked the additional wager portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited
    Inventors: Natalie Bryant, Nicholas Luke Bennett, Peter Leslie Walker
  • Gaming machine with special symbol
    Patent number: 8550896
    Abstract: A gaming machine having a display means and a game control means arranged to control images displayed on the display means, the game control means being arranged to play a game wherein at least one random event is caused to be displayed on the display means and, if a predefined winning event occurs, the machine awards a prize, wherein, when a special symbol is carried by a symbol-carrying element into a display position on the display means, the special symbol substitutes as more than one occurrence of a standard symbol of the game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Ltd.
    Inventor: Nicholas Luke Bennett
  • Gaming system and a method of gaming
    Patent number: 8550902
    Abstract: A method of gaming comprising: receiving a bet from a player; awarding to the player an entitlement to a plurality of game outcomes in exchange for the bet; determining that the player has exhausted the entitlement; and determining, subsequent to exhaustion of the entitlement, whether the player is entitled to an award based, at least in part, on at least one of the game outcomes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited
    Inventor: Nicholas Luke Bennett
  • Player Information Delivery
    Publication number: 20130244751
    Abstract: A console is described, having display means, and game control means arranged to control images displayed on the display means, the game control means being arranged to play a game in which one or more symbols are randomly selected as a combination of symbols and displayed on the display means. If a winning combination results, the machine awards a prize. In some circumstances, the console will display an animated character to communicate information to the player. The character is independent of and appears asynchronously with respect to the game being played and is arranged to appear super imposed over any game screen currently displayed at the time the character is displayed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited
    Inventors: Nicholas Luke Bennett, Natalie Bryant, Stephen Byng
  • Gaming machine with enhanced feature indicator
    Patent number: 8529332
    Abstract: A gaming machine 10 has a display 14 and a game controller arranged to control images of symbols displayed on the display 14. The game controller is arranged to play a game 16 wherein at least one random event is caused to be displayed on the display and, if a predefined winning event occurs, the machine 10 awards a prize. The gaming machine 10 comprises a bonus feature that is triggered when a trigger condition occurs in a base game and an indicator incorporated in the bonus feature indicates to the player that the chance of winning during the bonus feature is higher than in the base game that triggered the bonus feature. In the bonus feature a special symbol is added to a spinning reel if a specified event occurs in the bonus feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Nicholas Luke Bennett, George Roukis
  • Gaming System and a Method of Gaming
    Publication number: 20130217507
    Abstract: A method of triggering a multi-player game, comprising: determining a current number of eligible gaming machines; communicating current hit rate data based on the current number of eligible gaming machines to at least each eligible gaming machine; determining at each eligible gaming machine whether to trigger the multi-player game at a hit rate based on the current hit rate data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Inventors: Nicholas Luke Bennett, Philippa Alice Graham
  • Slot machine hybrid pin and ball game
    Patent number: 8506383
    Abstract: An electronic gaming console is illustrated having a console cabinet 10 including a prize display 12, a coin entry slot 13, a payout tray 14 and internally mounted game control processor circuits. A video game is provided for play on the console in which images of spinning reels spin and objects (balls) are dropped through a series of obstacles (pins) and eventually land in one or more of a set of containers. Prizes are paid according to either the state of the reels after spinning or the number of balls which are in each container at the end of the ball drop and/or the manner in which the pins are hit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Ltd.
    Inventors: Nicholas Luke Bennett, David Villa, Christopher Stevens
  • GAMING MACHINE WITH WIN CHANGE SYMBOL
    Publication number: 20130190070
    Abstract: A gaming machine (10) has a display (14) and a game controller arranged to control images displayed on the display (14). The game controller is arranged to play a game (16) wherein at least one random event is caused to be displayed on the display (14). If a predefined winning event occurs, the machine (10) awards a prize. When a special symbol is carried by a symbol-carrying element into a display position on the display (14), the special symbol does at least one of altering the prize awarded for a winning result and altering a defined set of winning combinations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Inventors: Nicholas Luke Bennett, Natalie Bryant
  • Gaming apparatus with a wheel game
    Patent number: 8491374
    Abstract: A gaming apparatus and a game controller for a gaming apparatus is provided. A game provided on the gaming apparatus under the control of the game controller is arranged to play a first game in the form of a wheel game having a number of outcome indicating parts. It is also arranged to play a further game, in the form of a symbol game, a function of which is based on an outcome of the wheel game. In one embodiment, a function of one or more symbols in the symbol game is determined by an outcome of the wheel game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited
    Inventor: Nicholas Luke Bennett
  • GAMING MACHINE WITH A FIXED WILD SYMBOL
    Publication number: 20130184058
    Abstract: A gaming machine has a display and a game controller arranged to control images displayed on the display. The game controller is arranged to play a spinning reel game wherein one or more random events are caused to be displayed on the display and, if a predefined winning event occurs, the machine awards a prize. When at least one special symbol appears on the display, the special symbol is held in a superimposed representation in that position for at least one further game while at least that reel carrying the special symbol is re-spun for the at least one further game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Inventors: Nicholas Luke Bennett, Natalie Bryant
  • Gaming machine with buy feature games
    Patent number: 8475256
    Abstract: A gaming machine including a display. The display includes a plurality of display positions for displaying combinations of symbols. A controller controls operation of the machine. The controller includes a processor for processing data and displaying selected data on the display. A selector is operable by the player of the machine for enabling the player to select at least one feature which can be added to a base game played on the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Natalie Bryant, Nicholas Luke Bennett
  • Gaming controller, a gaming system, and a method of gaming
    Patent number: 8469794
    Abstract: A method of gaming comprising: a) displaying a plurality of display positions to a player, at least one of the display positions corresponding to a hidden object to be sought by the player; b) determining a selection of a display position; c) revealing whether or not the selected display position corresponds to the hidden object; e) determining whether to allow a selection by conducting at least one trial, each trial comprising seeking to complete a symbol combination; and f) repeating steps b) to e) until either the symbol combination is completed or a designated number of hidden objects is located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited
    Inventors: George Roukis, Nicholas Luke Bennett
  • Gaming machine with buy feature games
    Patent number: 8465357
    Abstract: A gaming machine including a display. The display includes a plurality of display positions for displaying combinations of symbols. A controller controls operation of the machine. The controller includes a processor for processing data and displaying selected data on the display. A selector is operable by the player of the machine for enabling the player to select at least one feature which can be added to a base game played on the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Austrialia Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Natalie Bryant, Nicholas Luke Bennett
  • MULTIPLE-GAME GAMING MACHINE
    Publication number: 20130122989
    Abstract: A gaming machine includes a gaming console. A display is mounted in the gaming console for displaying a wagering game and its result. A controller controls operation of the game, the controller displaying the result of a first game on the display, making payment of a prize if the first game has a prize winning result and, thereafter, irrespective of the result of the first game, varying a result displayed on the display without requiring any additional wager by a player whether before or after completion of the first game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Inventor: Nicholas Luke Bennett
  • Gaming system and a method of triggering feature gaming based on hit rate
    Patent number: 8425302
    Abstract: A method of triggering a multi-player game, comprising: determining a current number of eligible gaming machines; communicating current hit rate data based on the current number of eligible gaming machines to at least each eligible gaming machine; determining at each eligible gaming machine whether to trigger the multi-player game at a hit rate based on the current hit rate data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited
    Inventors: Nicholas Luke Bennett, Philippa Alice Graham
  • GAMING MACHINE WITH BUY FEATURE GAMES
    Publication number: 20130090154
    Abstract: A gaming machine including a display. The display includes a plurality of display positions for displaying combinations of symbols. A controller controls operation of the machine. The controller includes a processor for processing data and displaying selected data on the display. A selector is operable by the player of the machine for enabling the player to select at least one feature which can be added to a base game played on the machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Inventors: Natalie Bryant, Nicholas Luke Bennett
  • Gaming system and a method of gaming with random bonus game selection
    Patent number: 8408989
    Abstract: A console is described, having display means, and game control means arranged to control images displayed on the display means, the game control means being arranged to play a game in which one or more symbols are randomly selected as a combination of symbols and displayed on the display means. If a winning combination results, the machine awards a prize. In some circumstances, the console will display an animated character to communicate information to the player. The character is independent of and appears asynchronously with respect to the game being played and is arranged to appear super imposed over any game screen currently displayed at the time the character is displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Nicholas Luke Bennett, Natalie Bryant, Stephen Byng